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The easy way out of this one would be for jefbot to read the instruction booklet but since I rarely look at instructions before immediately unpacking and pushing buttons on my new gadgets, the chances of jefbot doing that are, well, “remote.”

Apologies to SubCulture. I didn’t realize I had written such a similar punchline until this strip had already come out. Please, check out their brilliance and my shame!

Oh damn, I loves me some Fringe! In my opinion, Walter makes the show.. I love him. Another one to get me giggling as I start my day, Jeff.. thanks! (And on a side note, I don’t think that remote could turn EVERYTHING on. *ahem*) 😛

i tried to resist Fringe initially, Spanky, since i didn’t want to get into another show, but it totally has its hooks in me now. and yeah, Walter’s great!!! makes me want to pop in my Lord of the Rings dvds in again to see his performance in that. however, i’m not sure i can concur on your last statement – that remote’s pretty sexy. 😉

Instructions don’t help. I just got a universal remote from Best Buy, it was one I could plug into my computer I just had to tell the computer what brand of cable box, TV and so forth that I had and it was supposed to update the remote and work right away. That never happened, even after playing with it for a few hours. Eventually I just put it away, logged onto Ebay and bought myself 3 Comcast remotes for 4 bucks each.

hopefully you got your money back for that first remote or ended up selling it on Ebay, Tim. and i suggest just tying those three remotes together with some twine or a big rubber band – i hear it’s almost as good as having a universal remote!

I will keep wondering (most probably ’till the day I die) WHY IN THE WORLD PEOPLE DO NOT READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUALS?!!!!!!

In all honesty, I read my manuals (sometimes twice if things seem too complicated) BEFORE using anything. Of course, this usually mean that my family come to ask ME how anything works since I do know -_-;

reading manuals takes time away from actually enjoying the device, Sonitan! okay, sure, it probably takes more time trying to figure everything out through trial and error, rather than just looking at the instructions, but still. maybe it’s a guy thing. 😉

it is pretty cool to watch those components light up, one by one, at the touch of a button, especially with friends over, eleventeen. although i think they were more impressed before i had the universal, watching me navigate all six of my remotes, fingers clicking away, devices coming to life, all in about the same time.
🙂

glad you dug it, skinny! and yeah, while i try and keep these strips as concise as possible, i tried fitting it into 3 panels and found it just needed that extra panel to deliver the punchline with the right *oomph!* 😀

Yep! That about wraps up why I don’t have one of those universal remotes myself! …even when I know where the power button is, I have trouble turning off my TV, DVR, Stero, and iPOD unit…
P. S. I LOVE the color in this strip, my favorite is the 3rd frame! Rock on!

If it’s anything like mine, the obvious power button at the top will only turn everything OFF. You have to press a sequence of two or three buttons to turn things ON, and then anywhere from a couple to a dozen more if that doesn’t work right.

I Hear you Dawg! I had a Universal Control problem this week and seriously thought about calling my husband at work. I decided that was wrong. Instead I pushed all the buttons on all of the remotes til it worked. Thank God it did. This strip spoke to me. How did Jefbot know?

“The easy way out of this one would be for jefbot to read the instruction booklet but since I rarely look at instructions before immediately unpacking and pushing buttons on my new gadgets, the chances of jefbot doing that are, well, ‘remote.'”

I’m the same way. I rarely cast more than a glance at the manual of any gadget, preferring to learn by intuition.

Sonitan: “I will keep wondering (most probably ’till the day I die) WHY IN THE WORLD PEOPLE DO NOT READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUALS?!!!!!!”

My problem with manuals (and Microsoft tends to be especially guilty of this) is that they tend to be written *by* the designers/technicians *for* other designers/technicians. (Although, Apple seems to be a welcome exception. Their manuals are usually well-written and followable.) The only manuals that tend to be written for the rest of us seem to be for housewares (blenders, toasters, etc.), and even then you sometimes run into the “Engrish” problem.

i’ve been learning a new database system at work, reynard61, and run into that, “written by technicians, for technicians” mentality all the time. it’s more helpful to google the problem than to try and decipher their cryptic instruction manuals.

This is fantastic, bot! I literally Hahahahahahaed out loud! Great set up and punch line, man. I love that you gave a shout out to “Fringe!” Great job all around, as always. Now where’s the “off” button on this remote? I thought I knew but when I pressed it, the microwave went on. :-O